Fast forward to today, and I’ve spent over two decades designing interactive experiences across industries and organizations. From startups to federal agencies, I’ve seen the tech change, the tools evolve, and the processes shift.

But one thing hasn’t changed:

Experienced designers consistently deliver better outcomes.

Why experience is a business advantage

Companies hiring seasoned designers are not just hiring someone who can make things look good. They’re getting someone who knows how to ship the right thing, navigate complexity, and deliver work that supports long-term goals.

Experienced designers know how to:

• Avoid costly mistakes.
  They’ve seen what happens when a feature gets built without user validation. They’ve lived through messy rollouts and unclear handoffs. Their experience saves time and money because they’ve already learned those lessons.
• Connect design to business outcomes.
  They know that good UX isn’t just about usability. It’s about conversion, retention, engagement, and trust. They make design decisions that support the bottom line, not just the style guide.
• Lead teams through ambiguity.
  Senior designers bring clarity to messy problems. They help align product, engineering, and business teams when goals feel fuzzy. They reduce churn and second-guessing by setting direction early.
• Mentor and level up others.
  Hiring one experienced person often elevates the entire team. They raise the quality bar, encourage smarter processes, and help younger designers build confidence. That’s how you create a culture of excellence.

In other words, experience pays off.

It shortens the time to value.
It prevents rework.
And it drives better customer and business outcomes.

But what about GenAI?

AI is a powerful tool. I use it every day to speed up research, generate design ideas, and support early exploration. But AI is not a replacement for good judgment. It can suggest ten layouts, but it can’t explain which one builds user trust. It can summarize content, but it can’t identify which parts of a journey are broken.

Ai is not a replacement for good judgment.

GenAI is exciting because it helps with the “how.”
Experienced designers bring the “why.”

You still need people who can frame the problem, challenge assumptions, and align decisions with strategy. You need leaders who can adapt to constraints, spot risks early, and keep the work moving when things get complicated.

Real design leadership looks like this

At this point in my career, I’ve led teams through redesigns, product launches, enterprise transformations, and AI integrations. I’ve coached junior designers into leadership roles and helped build cultures where design is seen as a strategic asset, not just a service function.

Whether I’m working hands-on or at the strategy level, I focus on making the work smarter, not just prettier. The goal is always the same—solve the right problems, create meaningful experiences, and drive value.

That perspective didn’t come overnight. It came from years of building, failing, listening, and improving.

TL:DR

Design moves fast.
But fast doesn’t always mean forward.

When you hire for experience, you’re not just paying for what someone can do.

You’re investing in what they’ve already seen, solved, and made better.
You’re getting someone who can help your team move faster in the right direction.

So yes, experience still matters, especially if you care about quality, clarity, and results.